6 J 5 
ENGL 
York on the one hand, with thole of Mortimer on the 
other : which lad inheritance had before been augmented 
by an union of the effates of Clarence and Ulder with the 
patrimonial polTeffions of the family of Marche. The al¬ 
liances too of Richard, by his marrying the daughter of 
Ralph Nevil earl of Welimoreland, had widely extended 
his intereft among the nobility, and had procured him 
many connections in that formidable order. 
Among the ref?, he was nearly allied to the earl of 
Warwick, commonly known, from the fubfeqiient events, 
by the appellation of the King-maker. This nobleman 
had diftinguilhed himfelf by his gallantry in the field, the 
hofpitality of his table, by the magnificence, and (fill more 
by the generality, of his expences, and by the fpirited and 
engaging manners which attended hint in all his aCtions. 
The tranknefs and opennefs of his character rendered his 
conqueft over men’s afi'etftions the more certain. No lefs 
than thirty thoufand perfons are faid to have lived daily 
at his expence ; and his munificence and hofpitality, with 
the multitude of his retainers, didinguifh him as the la(t 
of thole mighty barons who formerly overawed the crown. 
But though the duke of York had numerous and power¬ 
ful partizans, his chief dependence was on the difeontents 
which univerfally prevailed. The people repined at the 
lofs of the provinces in France ; and this made them con- 
(ider queen Margaret as a Frenchwoman, and a latent 
enemy to the kingdom. But the mod fatal blow given 
to the popularity of the houfe of Lancafter, w'as the affaf- 
fination of the virtuous duke of Gloucelter : by this crime 
the reigning family luffered a double prejudice ; it was 
deprived of its firmed lupport, and it was loaded with 
the infamy of premeditated murder. 
The duke of Suffolk was known to have had an aftive 
hand in the crime; and the murmurs which arofe againd 
him as a minider, and favourite of the queen, were there¬ 
by ruifed to a dangerous height. The necellities of the 
crown had impelled him to many arbitrary meafures; 
and the commons, provoked by his imprudence, and chal¬ 
lenging an enquiry into his conduft, lent up an impeach¬ 
ment againd him to the houfe of peers. As Suffolk feems 
to have been a bad man as well as a bad minider, it is 
probable many of the alleged charges would be proved 
againd him, though he made a refolute defence. The 
court, alarmed at the profecution, fell on an expedient to 
fave him from prefentruin. The king fummoned all the 
lords, fpiritual and temporal, to his apartment: the pri- 
foner was produced before them, and afked what lie cou-ld 
fay in his own defence ? He denied the charge, but fub- 
rnitted to the king’s mercy: Henry expreffed himfelf not 
fatisfied with regard to the fird impeachment for treafon; 
but, in conlideration of the fecond, for mifdemeanors, he 
declared, that, by virtue of Suffolk’s own lubmiffion, not 
by any judicial authority, he banilhed him the kingdom 
during five years. The lords remained filent; but, as 
foon as they returned to the houfe, they entered a pro- 
ted, that his fentence Ibould nowife infringe their privi¬ 
leges; and that, if Suffolk had infided upon his right, 
and had not volutarily fubmitted to the king’s com¬ 
mands, he was entitled to a trial by his peers. It re¬ 
quired little penetration to guefs, that tliefe irregular 
proceedings were meant to favour Suffolk, and that, as 
he dill poffefled the queen’s confidence, he would, on the 
fird favourable opportunity, be redored to his country, 
and be reindated in bis former power and credit. A cap¬ 
tain of a velfel was therefore employed by his enemies 
to intercept him in his palfage to France: he was feized 
near Dover ; his head druck off on the tide of a long-boat, 
and his body thrown into the fea. Such was the imbe¬ 
cility of the government, that no enquiry was made after 
the abhors and accomplices in this atrocious abt of vio¬ 
lence. 
The duke of Somerfet now rofe as a minider and fa¬ 
vourite; and, as he was the peifon under whom the 
French provinces had been lod, the public, who always 
judge by the event, foon made him equally the object of 
AND. 
their animofity and hatred with his predeceffor. The 
duke of York was abfent in Ireland during all tliefe 
tranfablions; and, however much he might be fufpected 
of influencing late events, the jealoufy of the court was 
not yet awakened againd this popular prince. The hu¬ 
mours of the people, however, once fet a-float by the 
parliamentary impeachment, and by the fall of fo great a 
favourite as Suffolk, broke out in various commotion*, 
which were not eafily fuppreffed ; but an infurreblion in 
Kent was attended with confequerces that deferve (o be 
regarded. John Cade, a native of Ireland, of low con¬ 
dition, who had been obliged to fly into France for his 
crimes, on his return to England, obferving the difeou- 
tents of the people, availed himfelf of them, to execute 
a plan at once original and daring. He took the name of 
John Mortimer, intending, as is fuppofed, to pafs him¬ 
felf for a fon of dr John Mortimer, who had been fen- 
tenced to death by parliament, and executed, in the be¬ 
ginning of this reign, w ithout any trial or evidence, mere¬ 
ly upon an indidfment of high treafon preferred againd 
him. 
On the fird mention of that popular name, the com¬ 
mon people of Kent, to the number of twenty thoufand, 
flocked to Cade’s dandard, and be inflamed their zeal by 
publifliing complaints againd the numerous- abufes in 
government, and demanding a redrefs of grievances. The 
court, not yet aware of the danger, fent a fmall force 
againd the infurgents, under the command of dr Hum¬ 
phrey Stafford, who was defeated and dain near Seven 
Oaks; and Cade, advancing with his followers towards 
London, encamped on Blackheath. Though elated by 
his viiStory, he dill maintained the appearance of mode¬ 
ration ; and, tranfmitting to the court a plaufible lid of 
grievances, promifed, that when tliefe (hould be re- 
drelfed, and lord Say the treafurer, and Cromer dieriff 
of Kent, (hould be punifhed for their malverfations, he 
would immediately lay down his arms. The council, 
perceiving the public reluftance to fight againd men lo 
reafonable in their pretenfions, carried the king, for pre- 
fent fafety, to Kenilworth ; and the city of London im¬ 
mediately opened its gates to Cade, who maintained, 
during fo me' time, great order and difeipline among his 
followers. But being obliged, in order to gratify their 
malevolence againd Say and Cromer, to put thefe men 
to death without a legal trial, he found that, after the 
commidion of this crime, he was no longer able to con- 
troul their riotous difpofition, and that his authority was 
defpifed. Proceeding to acts of plunder and violence, 
the citizens, who had hitherto been paflive, now took 
the alarm ; and, being feconded by a detachment of fol- 
diers, fent them by lord Scales governor of the Tower, they 
repulfed the rebels with great daughter. The ICentifli- 
men were fo difeouraged by the blow, that, upon re¬ 
ceiving a general pardon from the primate, then chan¬ 
cellor, they retreated towards Rochefier, and there dif- 
perfed. The pardon, however, was foon after annulled, 
as extorted by violence : a price was fet on Cade’s head, 
who was killed by one Iden, a gentleman of Suflex ; and 
many of his followers were brought to condign p.uniflt- 
ment. 
A drong fufpicion exided among the royal party, that 
the duke of York had fecretly indigated Cade to this 
attempt, to found the difpodtions of the people towards 
his title and family ; and, fearing he meant to return 
from Ireland with an armed force, they ifl'ued orders for¬ 
bidding his return to England. The duke refuted his 
enemies by landing with only his ordinary retinue; but 
their precautions foon convinced him of his danger. He 
now began to fee the impoflibility of remaining a quiet 
fubjeft, and the neceflity of proceeding forward in fup- 
port of his claim. His partizans therefore were indrufted 
to infid upon his right by fucceffion, and by the eda- 
bliflied conditution of the kingdom ; and the arguments 
adduced by his adherents and tliofe of the reigning fa¬ 
mily, foon divided and didrabded the people. The earl 
